More than 60 missing in Nepal landslide

More than 60 people are missing after a landslide swept two buses into a river in central Nepal, the country’s officials said on Friday.

Dozens of rescue workers were searching the area for survivors of the incident in the central district of Chitwan, local official Khemanand Bhusal told AFP.

According to this source, both the buses were carrying at least 66 passengers, but three of them managed to get out before the vehicles fell into the Trishuli river and are now being treated at the hospital.

“We are not sure about the total number as the buses could have been carrying other passengers on the route,” he said. “The river is in spate and we haven’t found anyone yet.”

The accident occurred early Friday on the Narayanghat-Mugling highway, about 100 km west of the capital Kathmandu.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal expressed grief in a message on the social media site X and directed government agencies to “search and rescue the passengers”.

In another accident on the same road, a bus driver was killed after being hit by a falling rock.

Fatal traffic accidents are common in this Himalayan country due to bad roads, poorly maintained vehicles and reckless driving.

Nearly 2,400 people died on Nepali roads in the 12 months through April, according to government data.

In January, 12 people were killed and 24 injured when a bus heading to Kathmandu fell into a river.

Roads are more dangerous during monsoon as the rains cause landslides and floods.

Scientists say climate change is making monsoons increasingly stronger and more erratic.

Floods, landslides and lightning strikes have killed 88 people in Nepal since the rainy season began in June, according to police data.

pm/dbh/meb/pc